No, Thank You?

I got my latest issue of Esquire in the mail yesterday, and it came with one of those wraps around it. Since it was about three weeks after the time when I usually get my issue, I figured this was a notice telling me to pay up or else my subscription will end. Nope. “Dear Valued Reader, I appreciate you being a reader of Esquire,” the letter began. It continued, telling me that I will get guaranteed savings and unlimited delivery — and oh, I don’t have to do anything right now to ensure that. This notice was just for my records.

Alright, fine. Thanks, Esquire. But if I’m such a valued reader, why couldn’t you have sent me my issue on time and sent this non-urgent notice separately? The biggest value of being a subscriber — other than the convenience of having the issue delivered to my mailbox, and the lower price I pay for all the issues — is having the issue delivered, if not before, then at the same time the issue hits the newsstand. Esquire, please don’t be like Rolling Stone, which usually comes about a week after the issue hits newsstands (and that magazine is bi-weekly!). Just get me my issue on time and I’ll continue to be a happy subscriber. Thanks.